[Explanation] Recently, an uncommon "blue ring" octopus has been frequently searched.
Some netizens posted that they saw a suspected blue-ringed octopus in the dishes of a hot pot restaurant. They immediately asked a science blogger and got confirmation from the other party, because the blue-ringed octopus is highly poisonous and cannot be eaten.
The incident aroused heated discussions as soon as it came out.
How to spot a blue-ringed octopus?
What kind of poison does it contain?
In this regard, the reporter interviewed Zheng Xiaodong, a professor at the Fisheries College of Ocean University of China.
Zheng Xiaodong said that "blue-ringed octopus" is a collective name for several octopuses of the genus Leopardus. These octopuses all have very conspicuous blue circles, spots or stripes, which are obviously different from the octopus we usually eat and are easier to distinguish .
[Concurrent] Zheng Xiaodong, Professor of Fisheries College, Ocean University of China
Blue rings, as the name suggests, it has blue rings on its body, (distributed) on its wrists, head and carcass.
In addition, there are species with blue stripes on the carcass.
At present, there are 2 to 3 species reported in our country. We collectively call them leopard octopuses, because the rings (stripes) resemble the patterns of leopards (hence the name). Leopard octopus is their scientific name, and blue-ringed octopus is a common name.
Because it has markings all over its body, even if it is dead, it can be seen, so the blue ring can be seen with the naked eye, even if you look carefully.
[Explanation] Zheng Xiaodong introduced that the poison contained in the blue-ringed octopus is a very strong tetrodotoxin, which cannot be decomposed after heating.
[Concurrent] Zheng Xiaodong, Professor of Fisheries College, Ocean University of China
It (blue-ringed octopus) has tetrodotoxin, and its toxicity has yet to be studied in detail.
Its toxin should come from the salivary glands, the body surface is not poisonous, and the blue ring on the body surface is a warning color.
(Generally speaking) don't stimulate it, if you stimulate it, its two horny jaws are easy to bite, and there will be (poisoning) reaction (even death) after the bite.
[Explanation] What is the probability that the blue-ringed octopus will enter the market?
Zheng Xiaodong introduced that the blue-ringed octopus is a very small octopus species. It has a similar living environment to the octopus we often eat, such as offshore rocks and even intertidal zones, so it may be caught together with other octopuses and flow into the market.
[Concurrent] Zheng Xiaodong, Professor of Fisheries College, Ocean University of China
The blue-ringed octopus is a small octopus. The individual is not large. There are 3-5 grams, 10 grams, and a slightly larger one can reach 30 grams. But overall, there are no particularly large ones, so it is called small. octopus.
This species lives in rocky reefs, rock crevices, sandy bottoms or coral reefs.
Domestically, we can collect it from the East China Sea to the south, the South China Sea, including the Beibu Gulf, and also in the waters around Sanya. It is distributed in temperate to tropical seas.
So (mixing into ordinary octopus) is possible, because it (follows) a piece of trawling or fishing, it is possible to get mixed in.
[Explanation] Zheng Xiaodong said that the carcass of stale octopus will turn white and dark after death, which may also cause accidental ingestion. Careful screening is required when eating octopus.
[Concurrent] Zheng Xiaodong, Professor of Fisheries College, Ocean University of China
The color of the entire octopus will change, with little change in the color of the blue ring or blue spot, but the vividness of the color will change.
It is very bright (when alive), but not very bright after death because the carcass becomes dark.
If it is not fresh, sometimes it may cause accidental ingestion.
So everyone should pay a little attention, and pay a little attention when eating, I think it is still easy to identify.
Li Jiali reports from Beijing
Editor in charge: [Ji Xiang]